In the House

Hosted by Lonnie Armstrong and Michael Stolle

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Laid back conversations with builders, designers and creators to swap stories, ideas and best practices. Develop a passion and get a glimpse into the lives of the hard working people who create the world around you. Bi-weekly episodes. Produced by X Squared Media LLC.

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60 recent

October 14, 202648 min

The Military's Airtightness Standard vs. Your House

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, a construction podcast hosted by Lonnie and Michael, they sit down with Paul Beavers, owner and senior consultant at Pinpoint Building Envelope Consultants, to ask a question most builders never do: is the minimum code standard for airtightness actually good enough? Paul has spent 36 years testing buildings, moving from a roofing business he started in college into decades running his own consulting firm — work that today spans everything from high-end homes to Army Corps of Engineers facilities. He breaks down why the residential industry's go- to test, ACH50, can hide more leakage than it reveals, and walks through the building performance test the Army Corps actually uses: pressurizing a building to 75 pascals, tracking air movement with infrared cameras, and holding it to a leakage rate most homes never come close to. They also get into window and door testing — and why, nine times out of ten, the defect Paul finds isn't bad installation, it's the window unit itself. Then Paul gets personal, sharing what happened when he tested his own home's envelope during the February 2021 Texas freeze: no heater, just fireplaces, and a house that only dropped three degrees overnight. He explains the wall assembly behind that result, the ongoing debate around closed-cell versus open-cell spray foam. Whether you're a builder, architect, or homeowner trying to understand what's really protecting your walls, this episode will change how you think about the word “tight.” 🎙 Guest: Paul Beavers | Owner & Senior Consultant | Pinpoint Building Envelope Consultants 🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast inthehousepodcast.com Sponsors: Artisan Hardwood Floors Captivate Elevated Home Technology Dalgleish Construction Precision Roofing Inc. Rehme Architectural Systems #construction #buildingenvelope #airtightness #homebuilding #podcast #customhomes #generalcontractor #builderlife #constructionbusiness #windowtesting #buildingscience

September 30, 2026Episode 8347 min

Why The Best Builders Listen Before They Design

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, a construction podcast hosted by Lonnie and Michael, they sit down with John Hudson, founder of 100 Fold Studio, to talk about the myth of the "starchitect" and how his faith has shaped a major philosophy in his work: listen before you draw. John designed ultra-high-end residences throughout the Southeast before starting his own firm. A month before his first major project was to be completed, a fire razed the building to the ground. He walks through how that loss, the 2008 recession, and years designing for underserved communities in Cambodia, Nigeria, and the Himalayas reshaped how he practices architecture — and led him to found 100 Fold Studio, a studio driven to share the gospel and demonstrate God's redeeming love through the buildings it designs, while training the next generation of architects and serving some of the poorest people groups in the world. John points to Proverbs 18:13 — "to answer before listening is folly and shame" — as the conviction behind it all. It's why 100 Fold's architects put their pencils down and sit with a client's or a community's story before they ever start drawing. Whether you are a builder, an architect, a designer, or a homeowner planning your own build, this episode is about the one skill that separates good design from great design. 🎙 Guest: John Hudson | Founder | 100 Fold Studio 🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast Inthehousepodcast.com #construction #architecture #residentialarchitecture #podcast #homebuilding #customhomes #generalcontractor #builderlife #constructionbusiness #100foldstudio

September 28, 2026Episode 8233 min

The Carpenter Who Went Viral Teaching Men To Use Their Hands

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, a construction podcast hosted by Lonnie and Michael, they sit down with Derrick McClintock, founder of The Man Training Show.Derrick did not set out to build a viral platform. He was a carpenter who had fired his entire crew because he could not find young men with the basic skills and work ethic to last more than two weeks on a job site. A young guy on his crew told him to film what he was doing and post it. He did not even have social media. The first video hit 2 million views overnight and they woke up to 60,000 followers without leaving a single comment.But behind the platform is a story that most people never see. Derrick shares his journey from professional motocross to opiate addiction, hitting rock bottom, finding sobriety, and eventually surrendering his life to God. He talks about how faith became the foundation not just of his personal life but of his entire business how he prays with his crew every morning, mentors young men through drug addiction and dark seasons, and turns down jobs when the client does not align with his values. Derrick believes there is a generation of young men who cannot build, fix, or create anything with their hands, why AI and robots will never replace a skilled tradesperson, and what he is doing right now in Hawaii to train young men side by side on the job site and pour into them the kind of knowledge and character that cannot be learned on a screen.Whether you are a builder, a tradesperson, a father, or just someone trying to figure out your purpose this episode will hit you somewhere deep.🎙️ Guest: Derrick McClintock | Founder | The Man Training Show🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcastinthehousepodcast.com #construction #carpentry #podcast #manbuild #mantrainingshow #homebuilding #builderlife #tradesman #mentorship #constructionbusiness #christ #christian #prayer #addiction #redemption

September 20, 2026Episode 8241 min

New Fire Codes Are Changing How We Build

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, a construction podcast hosted by Lonnie and Michael, the guys go it alone and tackle two topics every Austin builder and homeowner needs to understand right now. The conversation starts with online design inspiration and why what you see in a photo is rarely what you get in real life. Lonnie and Michael break down why images from the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, or anywhere outside of Texas are not realistic design references for a home in Central Texas. Materials, climate, labor and cost all change dramatically by location and a photo captures none of that. They also get into why AI generated design images are creating unrealistic client expectations and why a photo is never enough information for a builder to actually execute a design without elevating cost and schedule. Then the conversation shifts to WUI — wildland urban interface codes — and what Austin's adoption of these fire safety regulations actually means for custom home builders and homeowners. They show the history behind the code dating back to the 2011 Bastrop County Complex Fire that burned 32,000 acres and destroyed over 1600 homes, what the building material requirements actually restrict you from using, the defensible space rules around your home, and the additional inspection layers that come with building in a WUI zone. Lonnie also shares his honest take that while the intention behind the code is right the implementation raises real questions about whether restricting building materials and forcing fire sprinkler systems actually stops a wildfire from spreading. They wrap up with a take that challenges the whole premise — that leak detection systems deliver far more value than fire suppression systems and that water damage is a far more pressing problem for most Austin homeowners than wildfire.🎙️ Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast Sponsored by: Captivate Inc. Dalgleish Construction Company Rehme Architectural Systems Artisan Hardwood Floors Precision Roofing Visit Inthehousepodcast.com for the latest episodes. #construction #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #WUIcode #wildfirecode #customhomes #generalcontractor #builderlife #designinspiration #constructionbusiness #austinbuilders #realestate #homesafety #constructiontips

September 8, 2026Episode 8155 min

What makes a Luxury Framer?

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, a construction podcast hosted by Lonnie and Michael, they sit down with Matthew Charles, founder of Capitol City Construction in Austin, Texas, to break down everything builders need to know before hiring a framing crew. The conversation gets into the red flags builders miss — framers who skip references, skip the questions, and show up with a dirty truck and a messy job site. Matthew makes the case that a framer's work truck is their first presentation of themselves and if they can't keep that clean they are not going to keep your job site clean either. Matthew breaks down why builders who try to save money on framing end up spending more fixing mistakes through general labor crews, change orders, and costly rework that a quality framing crew would have caught before it ever became a problem. A cheap framer is never actually cheap. They also get into how Matthew hires and trains his crew, why coachability is the number one trait he looks for in a new hire, and his advice for building a strong builder sub relationship built on open communication, trust, and always coming to the builder with solutions not problems. Whether you are a custom home builder, general contractor, or homeowner trying to understand what separates a luxury framing crew from everyone else — this episode gives you the blueprint. 🎙️ Guest: Matthew Charles | Founder | Capitol City Construction 🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast Sponsored by: Captivate Inc. Dalgleish Construction Company Rehme Architectural Systems Artisan Hardwood Floors Precision Roofing Visit Inthehousepodcast.com for the latest episodes. #construction #framing #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #customhomes #generalcontractor #builderlife #luxuryframing #constructionbusiness #framingcrew #buildertips #realestate #constructionindustry #framingcontractor

August 19, 2026Episode 8047 min

Chasing client happiness is ruining your projects.

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, a construction podcast hosted by Lonnie and Michael continue their conversation with Eric Rauser, architect, builder, and founder of Rauser Construction in Austin, Texas for part two.They kick things off with construction pet peeves. Eric makes the case that fireplaces in Texas are almost completely unnecessary as a heat source in a modern high performance home — and that most of the time they end up as an afterthought that nobody fully thought through. He then delivers the funniest moment of the episode — why he once seriously considered starting a company that makes fake thermostats for VRF systems, complete with a button that would just ping his phone so he could call the homeowner and talk them down. Lonnie also weighs in on why manufacturer reps pushing their own products during pre-construction pricing is one of the most frustrating problems facing any custom home builder right now.Then the conversation shifts into client relationships. Eric challenges the entire concept of the bad client — arguing that a difficult client is almost always the result of a failure in communication skills or process on the builder's side, not a failure of the person. When high achieving people are put at an information deficit and feel out of control, they react emotionally. That is not a bad client, that is a human being who needed more from their home builder.They cover why proactive communication turns mistakes into opportunities to get closer to clients, why giving clients options puts control back in their hands, and why one of the most important mindset shifts any builder or project manager can make is understanding that happiness is not your goal. These are the kind of insights that come from decades inside the custom home building process — and they apply to every builder, contractor, and construction business trying to deliver at a high level.Whether you are a custom home builder, project manager, architect, or anyone who works with clients on high stakes projects — this episode will change how you think about the people you build for.🎙️ Guest: Eric Rauser | Architect + Builder | Rauser Construction🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast inthehousepodcast.com #construction #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #customhomes #generalcontractor #builderlife #clientrelationships #constructionbusiness #projectmanagement #architecturedesign #luxuryhomes #realestate #buildertips #constructionpetpeeves

August 10, 2026Episode 7938 min

Construction Details That Elevate a Home Without Breaking Your Budget

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, hosts Lonnie and Michael sit down with Eric Rauser, architect, builder, and founder of Rauser Construction in Austin, Texas. Eric's background is unlike most builders you will meet. He graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in architecture, worked at a firm in San Francisco where he learned construction detailing from an old school drafter who refused to use CAD sitting hip to hip with him every day, asking why every single decision was made the way it was. That foundation of understanding intent behind a detail is what separates the way Eric thinks from the average builder. He then moved to Austin in 2004 with his wife to start an architecture firm, survived the 2008 recession by cold calling Matt Risinger for project management work, and spent 11 years learning what it actually means to build at a high level before launching Rauser Construction. They also get into why Austin's construction community is genuinely different from every other Texas city the collaborative spirit, the cross-pollination of trades and architects, and why that openness is directly responsible for the quality of work being produced here. From there Eric walks through some of his favorite construction details real examples from real projects showing how small decisions made early in coordination with subs and architects can elevate a building without adding cost. Roof edge conditions, masonry flashing, steel fascia — details that most builders never think twice about but that make the difference between a house that looks intentional and one that just looks finished. 🎙️ Guest: Eric Rauser | Architect + Builder | Rauser Construction 🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast #construction #architecture #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #customhomes #generalcontractor #builderlife #constructiondetails #architecturedesign #luxuryhomes #realestate #constructionbusiness #austinbuilders #buildertips

July 29, 2026Episode 7850 min

How to choose an HVAC system you won't regret.

Stop wasting money on an HVAC system design that fails. Learn why a dehumidifier for HVAC is essential for achieving true home climate control performance.Optimizing your home comfort starts with understanding the hardware you choose. This discussion breaks down the critical relationship between equipment selection and installation quality. We examine why even the most expensive units struggle if the installation process is flawed, helping you avoid costly mistakes during your next project.We also cover the shift in market trends regarding VRF system cost. As these technologies become more accessible, understanding their practical application is necessary for homeowners and contractors alike. You will walk away with a clear understanding of how to balance high-end equipment with the installation standards required to actually see results.Subscribe for more construction podcast episodes and let us know in the comments: what is the biggest HVAC challenge you have faced in your home or on a project?🎙️ Guest: AIR RITE | Tel🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast #construction #HVAC #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #hvaclife #generalcontractor #customhomes #constructionbusiness #builderlife #hvactechnician #dehumidifier #vrfsystem #indoorairquality #hvacinstallation

June 30, 2026Episode 7752 min

Passive House - Is it actually worth it?

Learn how a passive house maintains perfect indoor comfort with almost no mechanical heating or cooling systems.This conversation breaks down the core principles of passive house design, specifically focusing on the essential rules of construction. We explore why a well-designed home relies on building physics rather than complex machinery to regulate temperature. This is for homeowners, architects, and builders interested in the science behind high-performance living environments.By understanding these construction standards, you can reduce energy reliance while creating a healthier, more stable living space. We discuss how specific insulation and airtightness techniques create an energy efficient home that functions naturally. If you are planning a renovation or new build, these sustainable construction methods offer a roadmap for long-term efficiency and comfort.Subscribe for more construction podcast episodes and let us know in the comments: what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to improve your home energy efficiency?🎙️ Guest: Nicholas Fair | Certified Passive House Engineer | Consulting Engineering Services🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast #construction #passivehouse #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #sustainablebuilding #energyefficiency #generalcontractor #customhomes #constructionbusiness #builderlife #greenbuilding #architecture #passivehousedesign

May 25, 202639 min

Builders Debate Building Enclosures

In this episode of the In The House Podcast, hosts Lonnie and Michael sit down with Ben Broughton for an unfiltered and controversial conversation. They kick things off with lien releases why one builder argues they are a complete waste of time, money, and paperwork that rarely protect you when it actually matters. They back it up with a real story of getting blindsided by a contractor who pocketed payments, filed a lien, and left them holding a $35,000 problem that a stack of signed lien releases couldn't fix.From there the conversation gets into spray foam is it actually toxic or has the industry been overcorrecting on the health concerns? They break down the chemistry, the real risks, and why by the time anyone moves into a house the danger window has long passed. Then they debate vapor open vs vapor closed building envelopes, mini splits vs gas furnaces, and why one builder thinks the industry's obsession with tight envelopes might be creating problems we won't see for another decade.And then there's the fossil fuel conspiracy the idea that John Rockefeller invented the term fossil fuels specifically to make oil seem like a finite resource and drive up its value. 🎙️ Guest: Ben Broughton | Lavaca Building Co.🎧 Hosted by Lonnie & Michael | In The House Podcast #construction #homebuilding #podcast #austintexas #buildertalk #hottakes #generalcontractor #customhomes #constructionbusiness #builderlife #realestate #constructiondebate #conspiracytheory #conspiracy

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